Developer EYA and Montgomery Parks held a community meeting last night on the planned Bethesda Market Park development, which will include a mixed-use residential building on the current retail site to the right of the Farm Women's Market on Wisconsin Avenue, an addition to the historic Farm Women's Market building and new "public realm" around it, an underground parking garage, a redesign of part of the existing Elm Street Park (into "Elm Street Park North"), a woonerf "shared street," and a conversion of Public Parking Lots 10 and 24 into new parks. Much of the focus of the presentation was on the design and amenities of the new parks.
654 residents answered a survey on which amenities or features they would like to see in the new parks. The top requests were:
•Stage/ Shade Structure •Open, Flexible Lawn Area •Terraced Seating •Planted Areas/ Canopy Trees •Interactive Water Feature •Loop Walking Paths • Variety of Seating Options Including Adult Swings •Dog Park •Placemaking/ Playful Climbable Art •All-Weather Game Tables
The parks will adhere to the principles of biophilic design, which "weaves patterns and forms of nature in the built environment to strengthen the human-nature connection." An interactive water feature will be included near the stage. Some elements will take on a colorful appearance after sunset via night lighting.
Next steps in the project include Montgomery County reaching a final development agreement with EYA. The Town of Chevy Chase will make a decision about potential additional funding for the park projects. Park designs and amenities may be update based upon feedback from last night's meeting. EYA will begin the process of obtaining financing for the development. And the Preliminary and Site Plans will be submitted to the Montgomery County Planning Board for approval.
14 comments:
What measures will be taken to prevent vagrants and drifters from setting up shop on the green space thereby negating or rendering unlikely the purported use cases presently depicted?
@5:21 - Wayfinding signs leading to your house.
I think they should have armed security around the neighborhood park. Maybe snipers on the rooftops. A tank perhaps? Only then will I feel safe in a park.
Lol, good grief.
It's a legitimate question, especially in the nighttime hours after everywhere else they can hang out is closed, which happens early in Bethesda...
And, of course, both small and large dog parks.
No, it's not a legitimate question. It's the question someone who has never functionally interacted with society would ask. If posted on any other blog we'd all know he's just joking about fear of "drifters setting up shop" (I suppose they wouldn't be very good drifters, then), but when it comes to Bethesda there are legitimately people this out of touch with reality...as you seem to have just exhibited, yourself. If a member of the unwashed masses sitting in the adirondack chair next to you is too worrying, you're welcome to remain safely inside your McMansion.
7:22 You are the one out of touch with reality. As a life long urban dweller, if open spaces are not designed properly, they do be come magnets for criminals and an obstacle to avoid. They cease becoming an amenity. They become unusable for the tax payers who foot the bill. The key is to make places good meeting spots so you get the critical mass of people that every one feels safe.
Learning
All the urban dwellers know dog parks and gardens are criminal magnets! /s
@5:28 - Show me one example of your vision of an "urban" park infested with criminals today. We're waiting...
You uses the incorrect word, not "infested" but magnets. A few years back, the bike way along the eastern leg of the Red line was a popular spot for bike thieves. There are wooded patches in North East DC that you never see casual stroller because all it takes is one guy bigger than you and needing something real bad..... And in the squares in DC that would actually have large numbers of homeless people camping out. I saw them harassing women trying to use the park. I've been there okay?
Learning
i'Ve beEn THerE oKaY???
Finally, Bethesda will have a dog park. It's insane that a city this big with this number of pet-friendly apartments doesn't have a dog park. People are taking to the public parks and schools to exercise their pets off-leash, which is far from ideal.
That most likely won't stop, it will just be in addition to...
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